


Desert Flowers

by Cryptvokeeper



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Angst, Hanahaki AU, Hanahaki Disease, ITS GON HURT, M/M, Mild Gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 09:31:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11643735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cryptvokeeper/pseuds/Cryptvokeeper
Summary: (Slight au where Cecil is not super blatant about how much he adores our resident scientist from the start)When the local radio host complains of coughing up flowers, Carlos simply assumes that this is just another oddity of this friendly desert town. But this disease isn't a night vale problem, and the two will learn very soon that science can't fix every problem.





	Desert Flowers

Science was for the benefit of all people. In Carlos' opinion, Science should always try and give back to the community it served.

However, this is not the way he anticipated being able to 'give back' to Night Vale.

"And you said this started when exactly?" The scientist asked, clicking off the light he'd had pointed down his patient's throat. Cecil fidgeted on the examination table. "Um... maybe a month ago?" He said, tapping his fingers together.

"A month?!"

"It wasn't that bad then!" Cecil said hurriedly. "It was just a cough. I didn't even start getting those... _things_ until a few days ago."

"And how often does this happen?" Carlos asked

"Oh, I couldn't say. Some days I won't get a thing, and The next I just can't seem to stop! So weird, right?"

Carlos frowned, but nodded. "So this isn't a normal occurrence for night vale..."

"Carlos please," Cecil said exasperated and perhaps just the slightest bit condescending. "Of course this isn't normal, you're a scientist for goodness-" A hand flew to his mouth and a harsh coughing filled the lab. A few of Carlos' coworkers looked up from their computers and experiments, blinking. He flushed, pulling the curtain that divided the small medical section from the rest of the room shut. He should try to save at least some of Cecil's dignity. The man was nearly on the floor, he was hunched over so far. With a harsh hack, a whole flower slipped from his mouth and splattered into the floor, dripping with mucus. Carlos reached for it (wearing medical gloves and a mask of course. He was a scientist after all, and he didn't know if what Cecil had was contagious). He held the plant up to the light, squinting. Meanwhile Cecil seemed to have regained his composure. "I am so sorry." He said, wincing at the sound of his own raspy voice. This is _not_ how he'd hoped this visit would go. Coming to Night Vale's resident scientists for help seemed like the safe alternative to going to the doctor's or worse- the hospital- but Cecil had conveniently forgotten his big, gay crush of a certain perfect-haired man until he had already puked up a handful of petals and gotten the entire lab's attention. How embarrassing. "It's never gotten that bad before, I don't know what triggers it-"

"It really is strange." Carlos murmured, more to himself than to Cecil. He lowered his hand and pursed his lips in the most adorable way (not NOW gay thoughts). "There have been cases of plants growing inside people briefly, but never to the point of germinating. The human body just doesn't have the right conditions!"

"Oh, are you sure about that? A dark, wet place. Blood and viscera, bugs crawling around. Seems perfect for starting a garden." Cecil said cheerfully. Carlos glanced up and smiled at the joke, before he realized Cecil wasn't joking at all. "-but gardening really isn't a hobby I can take up right now, and this could get in the way of my work. You understand, right?"

"Of course. You're the host of the local radio right?" Cecil nodded, fighting down the fluttering in his stomach with every fiber of his being.

'Carlosknewwhohewasohgodactcoolquick-'

"Yeah! And...you're a scientist!"

Smooth, Cecil. "I mean obviously you're a scientist you don't need me to tell you that n-not that I need you to tell me I'm a radio host justthatImeanwell-" he stopped himself and put on a polite smile. "Do you...listen to my show?" Carlos nodded, moving to one of the linoleum counters and dropping the flower in a plastic bag. He'd have one of his coworkers with more botanical expertise look at it later. "We need quiet in the lab most of the time, but somebody will usually turn it on during breaks and stuff." He smiled and hoped the radio host wouldn't press any further, because then he'd have to embarrassedly admit that he didn't really pay attention to what was said on each show. And it wasn't like he didn't try! It's just that Cecil's 'radio voice' was so smooth and deep that he could just let it go on and on while he did reports, or double-checked equations and get lost in his words- his work. His work is what he meant. Obviously.

"Oh! Neat!" Cecil said smiling back and internally cringing at his word choice. He was about to say something about how he was very into science these days, and was even considering adding a science section to his show- but was interrupted by another fit of coughing. Not as bad as the last one at least, but still embarrassingly loud. Maybe he should've just gone to the hospital after all...

He suddenly felt a hand rubbing circles on his back and stilled. Carlos continued the motion until Cecil's breathing evened out again (a problem made much harder by his mind short circuiting from the fact that Carlos was touching him.) and silence settled over the room.

"Are you...feeling better now?" Carlos inquired, hand still resting just below his neck.

"I-" Cecil was cut off by the feeling of something creeping up his throat. He opened his mouth to groan in frustration, only for another handful of petals to spill out. "Oh my goodness!" Carlos removed his hand quickly and Cecil briefly mourned the loss of contact. "I'm so sorry Cecil, I hadn't even considered that might exacerbate your condition." He ran a hand through his hair and frowned. That was completely unprofessional of him. He should be helping Cecil, not-

"Carlos, it's fine." Cecil interrupted and the scientist blinked. Had he been muttering to himself again? "I was going to say straight-up talking, but yes, you were." Carlos flushed.

"Here," he mumbled, not looking Cecil in the eye. "let me clean this up. My team and I will take a look at these flowers and figure out something to get rid of them. I really am sorry I don't have any explanation for you. But don't worry! Science will get to the bottom of this!" Carlos shot him a quick grin before glancing down again. "Until then uh... just take some cough medicine I guess?"

Cecil smiled, nodded and hopped off the table. "Thank you so much for your help." He said, holding out a hand to shake. Carlos took it.

They shared a companionable silence before he suddenly asked, "Can I have your phone number?"

Cecil turned bright red. "W-what?" Carlos jumped and waved his hands rapidly.

"I-I didn't mean it like that it's just- in case we need more data on your condition. So would you mind...?"

Cecil, still blushing, pulled out a pen. "Oh, um, right. Of course. Do you have some paper or?" He watched Carlos frantically look around the room for only a minute before deciding 'fuck it, already gotten this far on embarrassing moments,' and grabbing Carlos' arm. He pushed up the sleeve of his lab coat and scribbled out his phone number. "I keep it on silent during my show so I might not see it then," he said apologetically. "But feel free to call the station anytime, ok?"

"Okay."

"Great. Soooo," Cecil inched his way toward the curtain. "I'll... see you around." Carlos gave him a short wave in response, his phone number still visible on his arm. It gave the radio host a fluttering feeling that was either butterflies or another coughing fit. He slipped past the curtain, past the other scientists, still hard at work on their own projects, and out onto the sidewalk, breathing in the dry desert heat and the smell of pizza from Big Rico's next door. His reprieve was short lived, as he could already feel another fit crawling up his throat. He felt his phone buzz and glanced down. Carlos had texted him, making sure this was the correct number. It was just a simple message, but it made Cecil smile. Swallowing the petals he could feel in his throat, he began typing out a reply as he walked toward his apartment.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so... this fic is a lot of firsts for me. First time writing a multi-chaptered fic for one. First time writing anything Night Vale related for another. The latter worries me more than the former, as I'm not sure I've quite got a handle on tone and character voice. I'm trying my best but if you've got any sort of advice I'm all ears! (Comments feed my soul pls...)


End file.
